Using a kid's playhouse for a coop questions.

Being new at this and really wanting to get the girls out into their permanent coop prior to laying, we have been looking for something we can easily convert to a nice coop. We were going to build but the heat in FL right now is not conducive to working all weekend for a month in the sun. We have seen several coops that are based around kid's plastic playhouses. Today I found one on Craig's list that is a nice size and very pretty. We are hoping it is still available, but I realized that at least one of the features we wanted in our coop is not available in the playhouse; open wall for cleaning.

I am hoping that someone with this type of coop can let me know how difficult it is too clean out and any suggestions they may have on making a successful home for 5 girls out of one? The one we like has lots of open windows and ventilation at the roof line, a window we can use for the nest box. We would put it up off the ground about 18" and fence under and then build a reasonable run also. Feeder would go in the coop with 2 roosts and the water would be outside. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated, pro and con.

Thanks.

We built a platform to put our's on and it comes to about the top of my legs. It is very easy for me to remove the ramp and reach in and clean out the area inside. It is also easy to clean or wipe down the walls! Here is a picture of the original one we made and also after we added a second one to complete our duplex. (we added a few extra chickens and needed more room!!) We used two of the same houses so the windows line up and create a "pass thru" for the chickens. We have a roost going all the way thru both houses and the nesting boxes in one side. Hope this helps you with some ideas.

I love these Little Tike coops. I was just wondering.....how do you keep them from blowing away? Do you bolt them onto the base. And, when you are screwing on the wire screen does the plastic tend to split? Just wondering. Maybe I will get lucky and find a cheep one too. The duplex is super cute!

We used "L" brackets on each corner to hold it to the base which is very heavy. The playhouse itself seems like it would be light weight but it is heavier than it looks. Even with the "monsoon" storms with the high winds we have not had any problems so far. (Our's is located between two houses so it is a bit protected)

Is the "run" just an enclosed fence? DO you have them free ranging or is there a cover to the run? We're planning on using a child's playhouse and are wondering hat we should do about the run. Our yard is fenced and really we'd like to just let them go...

thanks!